Population: 443,885
Cost of living: 91.3 (national median: 100)
Median home price: $145,500 (national median: $185,000)
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Healthy highlight: A burgeoning biking community via the city's bike-sharing program
B.J. Reed is in awe of how fast Omaha has grown in the past decade. A resident for more than 30 years, Reed, 67, has seen his city evolve from an insular industrial town to a multicultural diamond in the rough in the Great Plains. "It's becoming more of a 24/7 city," he says, with an increasingly diverse mix of restaurants, retail and leisure activities. Such activities, coupled with an expanding health care system, appeal to the many retirees who are making Omaha their home. "They like its pace and its people," says Reed, a senior vice chancellor at the University of Nebraska–Omaha (UNO).
12 Great Places to Retire for Your Good Health
- Naples, Fla.
- Lynchburg, Va.
- Billings, Mont.
- Greensboro, N.C.
- Omaha, Neb.
- Nashville, Tenn.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Seattle
- Austin, Tex.
- Philadelphia
- St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Augusta, Ga.
And what's not to like? This affordable, small-town setting offers art galleries in downtown's Old Market; concert halls, including the Holland Performing Arts Center; retail shops at Midtown Crossroads; a variety of ethnic restaurants; and sporting events at CenturyLink Center arena.
Pedestrian-friendly Aksarben–Elmwood Park, less than 15 minutes from downtown and bordering UNO, offers retirees the best of both worlds. You'll find quiet, residential neighborhoods featuring Colonial and Tudor Revival homes on the north and east sides. To the west is Aksarben Village, a new entertainment and shopping community with shops, restaurants, bars, movie theaters, bike-friendly paths and space for outdoor music festivals. "The Village has brought a lot of energy and walkability to the neighborhood," says Leah Meyer, copresident of the Aksarben–Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association.
Homes in Aksarben–Elmwood Park are affordable, with a median price of $148,000, but it's a highly competitive market; homes are being bought sight unseen and are often sold before they are posted online.
One big bonus to living in Omaha: access to health care, including the medical centers of the University of Nebraska, Creighton University and Think Whole Person Healthcare, a cutting-edge, physician-led practice.
Taxes are a challenge for retirees in the Cornhusker State. The total rate for state and local taxes is 7% (5.5% for state and 1.5% for local). Social Security benefits are taxed, although rules that recently took effect exempt some of that income from state taxes. Still, Nebraska taxes most other retirement income, including retirement-plan withdrawals and public and private pensions.
-
AI Goes To SchoolThe Kiplinger Letter Artificial intelligence is rapidly heading to K-12 classrooms nationwide. Expect tech companies to cash in on the fast-emerging trend.
-
Where to Invest in an Uncertain MarketIn an uncertain market, you can still pocket juicy payouts ranging from 4% to 14%, depending on risk.
-
457 Plan Contribution Limits for 2025Retirement plans There are higher 457 plan contribution limits for state and local government workers in 2025. That's good news for state and local government employees.
-
Medicare Basics: 12 Things You Need to KnowMedicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
-
The Seven Worst Assets to Leave Your Kids or Grandkidsinheritance Leaving these assets to your loved ones may be more trouble than it’s worth. Here's how to avoid adding to their grief after you're gone.
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2025SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $70,000 in 2025, up from $69,000 in 2024.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2025simple IRA The SIMPLE IRA contribution limit increased by $500 for 2025. Workers at small businesses can contribute up to $16,500 or $20,000 if 50 or over and $21,750 if 60-63.
-
457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
-
Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2025retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2025 increased, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
